Leopard 2A7V arrival signals leap forward for German Army
Leopard 2 A7V is an upgraded version of the Leopard 2. (Photo: German Army)
The German Army has equipped its first unit with Leopard 2A7V MBTs, with the aim of improving mobility, firepower and crew protection.
A German Army spokesperson confirmed to Shephard that the first 13 tanks were handed over in mid-September to Tank Battalion 393, based in Bad Frankenhausen, Thuringia. The unit will be part of the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), which the German Army is set to lead in 2023.
The latest upgraded version of the Leopard 2 weighs 66.5t and can reach a speed of 61km/h and a range of 450km. It features significant improvements in armament (guns and munitions), active
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